Thing 17

Thing 17 or Connecting to Community.

There were several apps offered up for suggestions on the 23 Mobile Things Website from different regions of the state.

I tried one "new to me" app and will comment on another app on the list I am familiar with.

For the "new to me" app, I tried UpNorth Explorer.  To be honest, I am to the point in the semester where I needed something that "I knew something about" and wasn't starting from scratch.  I lived in Duluth for nine years and my husband grew up in Superior, WI (and there is a family cabin by Solon Springs, WI in the mix).  I fully acknowledge that "up north" is a big area, but I felt this familiarity with a section of what people classify as "north" would give me an advantage vetting this app.

Honestly, I thought UpNorth Explorer was awful.  It seems like the app is trying to cover everything from Walker to Canada to Hayward Wisconsin - and supplying very little information in the process.  There were very few restaurants and very few lodging options listed.  The big areas of "up north" - Brainerd, Duluth, the North Shore, Bemidji were not even listed in lodging.  These are "heavy hitter" tourist places and they were completely ignored by this app.  I will give the app credit for having a small smattering of current events dispersed among the region - but still too large and area with too little content.  I haven't figured out how locations are featured with this app - pay for content maybe?  I would not recommend this app to anyone ever.  I would rather they struggled with a non-mobile version of Explore Minnesota or Visit Duluth on a smartphone - anything would be better than this app.

On to the second app on the list.  Another confession - I have not actually used this app on location due to spotty wifi service and no smart phone at the time, but I spent a few hours playing with this app when it first came out last summer.  I am speaking of the Minnesota State Fair app.  My favorite feature is the Food Finder.  I am what I would consider a "dedicated" fair goer.  With the exception of a few years in my 20's, I have been to the State Fair at least one time a year most years of my life - I am 38, so I would wager at least 34 visits so far.  I mention this because I have a pretty good sense of where things are, where they were, and where things "should be".  Back to the Food Finder - finding and REMEMBERING the new foods each year seems to get harder and harder for me to remember.  As I said, I haven't actually used the app at the fair (yet), but finding the new food, or seeing the new foods per location will be a big boon my fair experience.  There is also a handy map for those who are not as familiar with the fairgrounds as myself.  I will definitely be using this app in the future and would recommend it to anyone that is visiting the fair with a smart phone - well anyone that likes to plan and not experience the fair "organically" or "spontaneously".

One tip I have that has nothing to do with the app, but everything to do with the fairgrounds.  Visit the fairgrounds when the fair is not happening.  It is much easier to "see" and understand the layout when A. you can drive on the roads and B. when you are not trying to take everything in at once.